Multidiscipline team interpretation of ERTS satellite and highflight imagery is providing resource and land use information needed for land use planning in Oregon. A coordinated inventory of geology, soil-landscapes, forest and range vegetation, and land use for Crook County, illustrates the value of this approach for broad area and state planning. Other applications include mapping fault zones, inventory of forest clearcut areas, location of forest insect damage, and monitoring irrigation development. Computer classification is being developed for use in conjunction with visual interpretation

Lawrence, R. D.

Murray, R. J.

Paine, D. P.

Poulton, C. E.

Sherzog, J. H.

Simonson, G. H.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

# 
I -  
Paper R 2 
NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY AND MONITORING IN OREGON WITH 
ERTS IMAGERY 
G. H. Simonson, D. P. Paine, C. E. Poulton, R. D. Lawrence, J. H. Herzog, and 
R. J. Murray, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 
ABSTRACT 
Multidiscipline team in te rp re t a t ion  of ERTS satellite and h ighf l igh t  
imagery is providing resource and land use information needed fo r  land 
use planning i n  Oregon. A coordinated inventory of geology, soil-land- 
scapes, f o r e s t  and range vegetation, and land use f o r  Crook County, i l l u -  
strates the  value of t h i s  approach f o r  broad area and state planning. 
Other appl icat ions include mapping f a u l t  zones, inventory of f o r e s t  
c learcut  areas, locat ion of f o r e s t  insect damage, and monitoring irri- 
gation development. Computer c l a s s i f  i ca t ion  is being developed f o r  
use i n  conjunction with v i sua l  in te rpre ta t ion .  
1. INTRODUCTION 
Land use planning is receiving high p r i o r i t y  a t t en t ion  a t  state and 
l o c a l  leve ls  i n  Oregon. ERTS imagery has the  poten t ia l  t o  provide much 
resource data  urgently needed i n  t h e  planning process throughout t he  state. 
recreat ional  development are placing unprecedented demands on the  
fixed amount of land resources avai lable .  Conflicting land uses and 
speculative land conversions are leading t o  an increased recognition 
of po ten t ta l  problems and the  need f o r  long range planning. 
resource are common t o  some degree i n  most states. 
Oregon is s i m i l a r  t o  t h a t  of other  Western states. 
wide var ia t ions  i n  climate, intermingled public and pr iva te  land owner- 
ship,  varied land use and highly var iable  population dens i t ies  charac- 
t e r i z e  much of t h e  Western region. 
and urban expansion has contributed t o  the  problems apparent i n  rapidly 
urbanizing regions such as the  Los Angeles Basin, and could lead t o  
similar problems f o r  the Willamette Valley i n  Oregon. 
la rge ly  uncontrolled speculative growth of recreat ion subdivisions i n  
remote areas is adversely a f fec t ing  open space a t t r i b u t e s  over wide 
areas  of t he  West. 
Oregon exemplifies much of t he  West in i ts  s tage  of development and 
is an excel lent  test area. The very f a c t  t ha t  much open space remains, 
of ten  i n  a t t r a c t i v e  surroundings, is creat ing demands on land t h a t  
threaten t o  diminish qua l i ty  of environment and l i v e a b i l i t y  i n  t h e  state. 
Oregon c i t i zens  are becoming aware t h a t  d i rec t ion  and control  of land 
development is needed t o  achieve a balance between economic growth and 
environmental qual i ty .  Land use planning i n  a l l  counties is required 
by recent l eg i s l a t ion  and w i l l  be fur ther  strengthened through current  
l e g i s l a t i v e  proposals f o r  state wide standards. 
Rapid population growth and accelerat ing urban, i ndus t r i a l  and 
Problems of growth and attendant pressures on t h e  f ixed land 
The s i tua t ion  i n  
Mountainous t e r r a in ,  
Inadequate planning f o r  land use  
Extensive and 
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tography may: be 
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730019628 2020-03-17T08:50:46+00:00Z
2. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 
The Oregon ERTS project  is directed toward applications i n  land 
use planning. Present planning e f f o r t s  i n  t h e  state although commendable, 
are of ten  based on inadequate, incomplete and sometimes outdated land re- 
source information. Our primary object ive is t o  demonstrate t he  use- 
fulness  of ERTS imagery i n  compiling and presenting a coordinated resource 
and land use information base f o r  land use planning. 
multiple-discipline team in terpre ta t ion  of ERTS satellite and high 
f l i g h t  imagery, and ground t ru th  t o  provide planners with a current,  
comprehensive inventory of range and fo res t  vegetation, s o i l s ,  geology, 
water areas and land use. 
ERTS imagery f o r  working with loca l  planners t o  analyze and assess appli- 
cations and methods of presentation f o r  land use planning. 
We are u t i l i z i n g  
The resource information is compiled on 
3. APPROACH 
ERTS imagery f o r  a l l  of Oregon is given a quick-look analysis  f o r  
information content and usefullness . 
sive p i l o t  study of land use planning applications i n  only one county 
a t  present. 
study because land use planning there  is j u s t  beginning, t he  county has 
an active i n t e r e s t  i n  obtaining resource information; county boundaries 
largely coincide with a major watershed, and t h e  area is representative 
of much of Oregon east of t he  Cascade Mountains. The county has a 
var ied terrain of rangeland, forested mountains and i r r iga t ed  valleys.  
The population is re la t ive ly  l o w  and Pr inevi l le  is t h e  major town. 
Ranching, fo re s t  producta, farming and recreation are the  major enter- 
p r i s  es . 
However, w e  are doing a comprehen- 
Crook County i n  Central  Oregon w a s  selected f o r  an in-depth 
Most of our work t o  date  has been i n  generalized mapping of t he  re- 
sources and land use through ERTS image in te rpre ta t ion ,  on-the-ground ob- 
servations,  and ex is t ing  resource information. Black and white p r i n t s  of 
MSS, band 5 imagery a t  1:1,000,000 scale were i n i t i a l l y  used. Recently 
we  have been ab le  t o  s ta r t  work with color-reconstituted transparencies 
of bands 4-5-6 and 4-5-7, and enlargements of band 5 at  a scale of 
1:250,000.NASA highf l igh t  photography a t  1:120,000 and la rger  scales 
is being used i n  conjunction with ground t ru th  observations, and will 
be used later i n  multistage sampling experiments of fo re s t  inventory 
and la rger  scale analysis  of resources. 
4 .  RESULTS 
Generalized maps of Crook County showing geology, soil-landscapes, 
vegetation and land use, and timber density are i l l u s t r a t e d  i n  Figure 
1 t o  4 .  
appended. Figure 5 shows the  geographic d is t r ibu t ion  of several land 
resource uni t s  defined by a high degree of s imi la r i ty  i n  resource and 
land use charac te r i s t ics  as determined from the  individual resource 
maps. These maps are drawn on ERTS color-reconstituted, 1:1,000,000 
scale imagery and cons t i tu te  a broad, synoptic p ic ture  of t h e  terrain, 
land uses, and resources of t he  country. 
Abbreviated explanatory legends f o r  t he  map symbols are 
1452 
The iadivfdual resource maps of Crook County (Figure# 1 to 4) 
show 12 soil-landscape uni ts ,  8 geologic divisions,  17 vegetation and 
land use units, and 5 classes  of t inbe t  density. Surface water areas 
show on several of the  maps. 
~echanism f o r  informed, rational solutlan of spec i f ic  land uge problem. 
The f ive  combined land resource uni ts  de l imatad  as examples i n  
Figure, 5 have the  following general characterist ics:  
with deep, wall-drained medium textured so i l s .  Minor poorly d ta imd 
s o i l s  may be alkaline. Soile on terraces may be  moderately deep to  
indurated hardpans. This land is used fo r  i r r iga ted  cropland, meadow- 
land, and homeeites. 
with vegetation types includinp low sagebrush, big sagebrush and @age- 
brush-juniper on shallow and very shallow, stony and very stony so i l s ,  
mostly with clayey subsoils. 
habitat .  
H i l l y ,  mlxed volcanic, juniper-sagebrush uplands with moderately 
deep, clayey so i l s .  This land I s  used for  grazing, wi ld l i fe  habitat  
and recreation . 
Steeply sloping mountainous, mixed volcanic t e r r a in  wlth open 
Ponderosa pine and scattered occurrence of other conifers, on moderately 
deep, medium and f ine  textured soils. 
timber, summer grazing, wi ld l i fe  habi ta t  and recreation. 
5. 
and open Ponderosa pine i n  the  draws, The s o i l s  are very shallow and 
very stony I n  scabland  area^, with moderately deep, medium textured 
soils on north slopes. This land is used fo r  grazing, wi ld l i fe  habi ta t  
and recreation. 
Warlaying these maps pruvidq en ideal  
1. Nearly level t o  gently sloping a l luv ia l  flood plains and terraces 
2, Nearly level to  gently roll ing,  l i gh t ly  dissected volcanic plains 
This land is used f o r  grazing and w4ldlife 
3 . 
4. 
This land is used f o r  coaanereial 
Strongly dissected lava plateaus with low sagebrush OIL scablands 
About 12 t o  15 of these land resource uni ts  are needed t o  adequataly 
characterize Crook County a t  t h i s  level of generalization. Many of the  
same uni ts  would have wide extent on a s t a t e  map. 
Information shown a t  t h i s  sca le  and level of generalization is help- 
f u l  i n  developing an overview and general understanding of the  resources, 
potentials and problem areas of a county. Information presented on ERTS 
imagery a t  t h i s  s m a l l  scale  appears to  be most appropriate foy general 
planning a t  .state o r  regions?. levels. County level and loca l  area plan- 
ning generally requires more detailed information but the  support high- 
f l i g h t  imagery is idea l  for  determining and presenting these higher levels 
of d e t a i l  i n  selected problem areas. ERTS imagery enlarged t o  a scale  of 
1:250,000 is w e l l  sui ted fo r  mapping resource and land use Information 
with a degree of generalization useful for  broad planning a t  the  county 
level. Assessment of ERTS imagery i n  consultation wlth county planners 
has supported these preliminary judgments 
5. OTHER APPLICATIONS 
Several s ignif icant  uses of ERTS imagery i n  land use and resource 
inventory and monitoring have been demonstrated i n  other par t s  of 
Oregon. The alignment and dis t r ibut ion of f au l t s  i n  much of south- 
central  Oregon has been mapped a t  1:1,000,000 on ERTS, band 5 and 
color reconstituted bands 4,5, and 6 .  These are  shown fo r  the  Deschutes 
Basin on Figure 6 .  Similar  mapping on high f l i g h t  imagery shows a 
s l i g h t  increase i n  de t a i l ,  but with very serious geometric f i d e l i t y  
loss. The area is dominated by the west end of the  Brothers Fault Zone 
which crosses the figure j u s t  above the Newberry scarp. The juvenile 
character of t h i s  zone is shown by the  lack of a s ingle  integrated 
break and by the crossing of the  Green Ridge Fault by extensions of 
t h i s  zone. 
This re la t ion is not c lear  on high f l i g h t  imagery, 
Green Ridge fault ing is dated a t  2 t o  4 million years ago. 
Different MSS band combinations and a var ia t ion i n  in tens i ty  leve l  
i n  color reconsitutions of ERTS, imagery show advantages i n  identifying 
delineating, and seasonal monitoring of various'vegetation types .  For 
example, bands 4,5,7 seem best  for  identifying juniper woodland. 
4,5,6 appear t o  be most sensi t ive for  picking up the  i n i t i a l  f lush of 
green growth of annual grasses and winter grains,  
dry grasslands and shrub-steppe vegetation is  apparently very strongly 
enhanced by the  combination of bands 4,s and half  power 7. 
Bands 
The contrast  between 
Forest clearcut areas are easi ly  seen and mapped on 1:1,000,000 
scale  ERTS imagery. 
that  clearcut areas can be visual ly  s t r a t i f i e d  by age to  some degree 
from the  ERTS imagery. 
fo r  delineating clearcut areas from d i g i t a l  data and w i l l  greatly in- 
crease capabili ty t o  discriminate age differences. Tussock moth damage 
is spreading rapidly i n  fores t s  of Eastern Oregon. Algoriths a re  i n  
$n intermediate stage of development for  detecting forest  areas experi- 
encing t h i s  insect infestat ion from d i g i t a l  data. 
Examination of color reconstituted frames indicates 
Computer c lass i f icat ion has been successful 
I r r iga t ion  development is rapidly expanding along the  Eastern 
Oregon-Washington border near the Columbia River. ERTS imagery has 
provided the f i r s t  up t o  date and accurate record of t h i s  development. 
Satellite imagery is an excellent means of measuring the extent and 
rate of increase of t h i s  important change in land use. 
1454 
Figure 1. Geology of Crook County, Oregon, showing 8 units.  
ERTS frame 1076-182111-4, 5,  6 
Figure 2. Soil-landscapes i n  Crook County, Oregon, showing 12 classes.  
ERTS frame 1076-18211--4, 5 ,  6 
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Figure 3. Vegetation and land-use in  Crook County, Oregon, 
showing 17 classes.  ERTS frame 1076-18211-4, 5, 6 
Figure 4. Forest density types in  Crook County, Oregon, showing 5 
classes. ERTS frame 1076-18211-4, 5 ,  6 
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Figure 5. Land resource unite for Crook County, Oregon, showing 5 
classes. ERTS frame 1076-18211--4, 5, 6 
(partial chss i f i ca t ion  shown) 
B U L T  LnOU (lr W E  UPSLR DE6cHUTE6 MSQ. OBW 
GR&tn n l d p  RnRsBMd e l lport  U = Y a b . r r y  ScWp 
rum OLTS imcm 
Figure 6. Fault pattern of.the upper Deschutes Basin, Oregon. 
1457 
APPENDIX 
Abbreviated Legends f o r  Figures 1 through 4, delineated on ERTS 
Imagery a t  1 : 1,000,000 scale. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6 .  
7. 
a. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
7. 
9. 
10. 
11. 
12 . 
6 .  
a. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
10 . 
11 . 
12. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
18. 
19 . 
20. 
a. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
Figure 1. Geology 
Alluvium and unconsolidated terrace materials 
Unconsolidated fan gravels 
Rim basal ts ,  res i s tan t  plateau formers 
S i l i c i c  t o  andesit ic,  shallow intrusions and domes 
Weakly consolidated t u f f s  and tuffaceous sediments 
C o l d i a  River basa l t s  - resis tant  bedrock 
Clarno and John Day Formations, weak, eas i ly  eroded bedrock 
Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks, mixed bedrock types 
Figure 2. Soil-Landscape Units 
Deep, s i l t y  and loamy soils on floodplains and terraces 
bd. deep and shallow loamy so i l s ,  with hardpan, on a l luv ia l  fans 
Mod. deep and shallow, sandy and loamy s o i l s  on lava flows 
Shallow, stony, loamy s o i l s  on gently rol l ing volcanic plains 
Mod. deep and shallow clayey s o i l s  i n  rol l ing uplands 
Shallow and mod. deep clayey s o i l s  and rock, i n  steeply ro l l ing  upland 
Shallow and very shallow, stony 80118, i n  dissected, rol l ing uplands 
Shallow stony s o i l s  and mod. deep loamy s o i l s  i n  steeply rol l ing upland 
V e r y  shallow stony s o i l s  on level  t o  rol l ing lava plateaus; inter- 
spersed with mod. deep, loamy s o i l s  on north slopes 
Mod. deep, loamy and clayey s o i l s  i n  steeply rol l ing mountains 
Mod. deep and deep loamy soils, on north slopes, above 4500 f t .  elev. 
Shallow stony s o i l s  and c l i f f s ,  i n  major canyons 
Figure 3. 
Meadows 
Low Sagebrush/Ponderosa pine 
Ponderosa pine/Low Sagebrush 
Ponderosa pine 
Meadow/Low Sageb rush/Douglas-f ir 
True F i r  and Mixed Conifer Types 
Ponderosa pine/Juniper 
Low Sagebrush/Big Sagebrush 
Big Sagebrush/Low Sagebrush 
Big Sagebrush/Cover Crops 
Low Sagebrush 
T a l l  Sagebrush 
Rangeland Seedings /Cover Crops/Greasewood 
T a l l  Sagebrush 
Western Juniper 
Cover Crops 
Juniper/Low Sagebrush/Tall Sagebrush 
Vegetation and Land U s e  Classes 
Figure 4, Forest Density-Type C l a s s e s  
Less than 10% stocked with commercial trees, o r  nonstocked 
Poorly stocked - mostly Ponderosa pine 
Poor t o  medium stocked - mixed larch and Ponderosa pine 
Medium t o  w e l l  stocked - Douglas-fir, larch and t rue  f i r  
V e r y  w e l l  stocked - mostly t rue  f i r  on north facing slopes 
1458 


Natural resources inventory and monitoring in Oregon with ERTS imagery

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